Renowned Arab singer Ahlam Al Shamshi faced backlash on Twitter after expressing intolerance towards Muslims praying for non-Muslims' souls. The controversy arose when Arab novelist Abdullah Al-Nimi paid tribute to the late Indian actress Sridevi Kapoor and prayed for her soul, prompting the singer to label it as haram (unacceptable in Islam).
In a now-deleted tweet, Al Shamshi mistakenly identified Sridevi as a Buddhist instead of a Hindu, further asserting that seeking peace for non-Muslims is against Islamic principles. The singer even tweeted a fatwa stating that praying for followers of other religions is wrong.
Despite the criticism, some users supported the singer's stance. However, Abdullah Al-Nimi responded, questioning whether the singer refrains from praying for the souls of his non-Muslim friends. Al Shamshi remained steadfast, emphasizing the importance of his own religion over interfaith considerations.
The novelist, standing by his inclusive view, expressed that every peaceful soul, regardless of religion, deserves prayers for tranquility. The exchange stirred significant support for the novelist on Twitter, highlighting the ongoing debate on religious tolerance.
السينما الهندية تطورت كثيراً في السنوات الأخيرة.. هذا صحيح.. لكني أحب زمن سرديفي أكثر من زمن كارينا كابور.. ربما لأن سرديفي ورفيقات دربها أصدق تعبيراً عن البيئة الهندية.. رحمها الله#Sridevi#Bollywood pic.twitter.com/umVKWVKoZ7— عبدالله النعيمي (@AbdllahAlneaimi) February 25, 2018
رحمها_الله😳استغفر الله— #AhlamTheVoice احلام 👸🏻🇦🇪 (@AhlamAlShamsi) March 1, 2018
((افلا_ينظرون الى الإبل كيف خلقت والى السماء كيف رفعت والى الجبال كيف نصبت والى الارض كيف سطحت فذكر إنما انت مذكر لست عليهم بمصيطر الا من تولى وكفر فيعذبه الله العذاب الأكبر انا إلينا إيابهم ثم انا علينا حسابهم )) صدق الله العظيم #بوذيه والله يرحمها